A fortnight in pictures

Exhausted, horribly hungover and deliberating some big decisions today.

Therefore I give you a short picture update, an apology for my recent absence and a promise to do better.

Book shelf below seen at Terence Conrad shop - I just adore it.

Other than that a sample of what I have been consuming over the last few days, including a meal at my beloved Grand Bazaar.

Simple weeknight dinner: Bulgur, feta and chicken bake

Lately I have been fairly unimaginative when it comes to preparing my post work meal. On the nights that I am not out and about I like to use my evenings at home as a chance to recharge, get on top of cleaning chores and reading (woe is me!) and to have an early night and a very early meal.

I have always tried to avoid eating late so a meal that takes less than 45 minutes is always a winner. Living sans boyfriend means when I am eating alone I like something with minimal use of pots and pans to reduce cleaning times (I immensely dislike washing up, although Nigel Slater does a wonderful job of persuading me otherwise on the last page of Appetite).

This very simple dish has been my go to for the last month or so, being light enough that it doesn't feel too much on a rare sunny evening but still giving you the satisfaction of a proper evening meal.

Bulgur, feta and chicken bake

Serves 1

1 chicken breast

1 serving bulgur wheat (I use a 3/4 mug of dried bulgur)

Handful of feta (to taste)

Spring onion

2 lemons

Optional additions: grilled cherry tomatoes or roasted butternut squash.

Place chicken in dish and cover in 2 tsp of olive oil, juice of lemon and seasoning.

Cover dish with tin foil and place in oven at gas mark 7 for 45 minutes (turn over at 25 minutes).

While chicken is cooking cook bulgur wheat and then drain.

Put bulgur wheat in serving bowl and add olive oil, squeeze of lemon and chopped spring onions.

When chicken is cooked cut into medium slices and add to bulgur.

Add feta.

Serve with large glass of chilled white wine.

Recipe: Spaghetti, sweet onion, tomato and cruncy pancetta

This is one of those dishes that I often cook when I am enjoying a rare night in on my own. Living in a sociable flat with two housemates it is not often that I get to cook for myself and myself only and when I do I like to create something that is just to my liking. No worrying about one persons dislike for onions or another preference for garlic. And as much as I like cooking for other people, and particuarly for Elliott and Alex, when I know I am going to be home alone I do look forward to it.

This meal can be cooked for 1 just as easily as it can for 20. It is extremely simple, quick, cheap and can be tweaked to just the way you like it. It is also a good base for other ingredients; perhaps some fried aubergines (crunchy but not too oily) or some cavolo nero piled on top. But when it is just me I like it just the way it is.

Spaghetti, sweet onion, tomato and cruncy pancetta

Serves 1 - increase as desired for more diners

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Approx cost: £5

A small packet cherry tomatoes (15-20)

3 strips of pancetta (or parma ham if you can't get it)

5 shallots

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon chilli powder

Pasta (ideally fresh spaghetti, but dry will will fine)

Olive oil

Parmesan

Heat a medium size roasting dish in oven (Gas mark 6) for 10 minutes with a generous amount of olive oil (a thin layer covering the bottom).

Chop shallots into thin slices

Chop garlic

Throw the cherry tomatoes, shallots and garlic into the dish and toss around to make sure they are covered in olive oil. Season with salt.

Place in oven at gas mark 6 for 30 minutes, until shallots are starting to soften and tomatoes pop. If tomatoes need help softening then use the back of a fork to push in the middle - it's fun!

Create space in the dish for pancetta strips so you can lay each strip in the hot oil. If no space available then lay them on top of tomatoes/shallots.

Sprinkle chilli powder over dish evenly.

Return to oven for 15-2o minutes.

Cook spaghetti

Take out when pancetta is cruncy and tomatoes are soft and cooked through.

Drain spaghetti and then add it to roasting dish and cover with the sauce.

Serve and top with parmesan shavings. Pour yourself

a glass of wine and enjoy.

Recipe: Bulgur salad for a sunny day

I have to give my mum complete and utter credit for this, my first recipe post. Tonight I am going to cook a roast lemon and chicken dish - which would be the perfect accompaniment. I will post recipe and pictures tomorrow.

This picture is of one of my all time favourite meals. It was eaten in Sardinia, on the porch of a rented villa, and consisted of tomatoes, avocado, bread, lemon and cheese. It was so simple, all completely fresh and was one of those perfectly messy meals where hands and clothes and tablecloth were all stained with olive oil and white wine and crumbs by the end of the night. Bliss.

Lemony Bulgur Salad

Serves 4-6 as side dish

Ingredients:
Half packet of bulgur wheat
Cherry tomatoes,
Lemon and lime juice
Cucumber
Capers or olives
Parsley

Soak the bulgur in hot water, change water two times until the bulgur almost doubles in size and is soft.
Rinse well in cold water.
Chop the tomatoes into quarters or even smaller.
Add to bulgur.
Half the cucumber lengthwise and then half each half. Take out the pips and squidgy middle.
Chop the quarter of cucumber into sugar cube size pieces. Add to bulgur.
Add lemon and lime juice, olive oil, finely chopped parsley lots of salt and pepper and chopped olives or capers.

Eat with pitta bread, or with Roast Lemon and Chicken.

Making the alarm clock less painful

When I first moved to my current flat I was brought a fresh fruit plate every morning by my new flatmate Elliott.


Elliott is a food snob, and proud of it. He earns little, for which he works very hard, and he likes to spend his wages on the finer things in life.


As such my morning plate would offer the ripest and sweetest fruits that Waitrose had to offer! Elliott, and my other flatmate Alex, are both very particular about preparing food and all ingredients are sliced and diced and organised in the most meticulous way. It is a joy to watch, and very shaming for a messy cook like me.


Below you will see a much less healthy breakfast that we like to indulge in on a Saturday morning. There are fresh bagels toasting on the grill, and Elliott has carefully prepared the chorizo and cucumber that will atop a thick layer of cream cheese.


I have made fresh coffee and am probably somewhere close by turning the kitchen upside down looking for a bit of magazine to read. Meanwhile Elliott has created his little orderly corner and, at the same time, the perfect start to the day.